comte d lvernols



` (No Model.) E. L. C. COMTE DIVBRNOIS.

PROCESS 0F AND APPARATUS PORUARBURETING AIR.

Patented Apr. 4

Jia/672601 i X5 d@ N. PETERS. FhcnwLnhugmpner, Wnshmgwn. D. cA

UNr'rnn STATES PATENT Frio-YE@ EARDLEY LOUIS CHARLES, COMTE DIVERNOIS, OF PARIS, FRANCE.V

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CARBURETING AIR` SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,948, dated April 4, 1882. Application filed August 25, 1381. (No model.) -Iatented in England July 8, IBO.

. To all whom it may conc-ern:

Be it known that I, EARDLEY LOUIS CHARLES, COMTE DIvERNoIs, ot' Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of and Apparatus for Garbureting Air for use in Gas- Engines and for other Purposes, of which the following specification is a fulldescription.

The present invention has for its object to enable air to be carbureted so as to form at will an explosive mixture adapted for use in gas-engines, or a combustible gas capable of burning for the production ot' light or heat, to utilize 'the waste gases from a gas-engine in the carburetin g process, and also to produce a simple and eiiicient carbureting apparatus embodyng or capable of use for carrying into ei'ect the abovementioned principles.

The process of carbureting air and rendering it either explosive or illuminating at will consists in placing a hydrocarburet in contact with a body heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the hydrocarburet immediately, and in mingling the required proportion of vapors thus produced with the air which it is desired to render carbureted.

In the present invention the heated body generally employed for vaporizng the hydrocarburels is a metallic plate, and although the invention is not limited to a plate, yet in this specification the words hot-plate will be used to indicate the body on which the hydrocarburets are vaporized. This plate forms the bottom ot' a kind of box or chamber of small height, and provided' with openings, some ot' which serve to admit the exterior air, and others to conduct away this air to where it is to be utilized after having been carbureted in said box by its intermixture with the vapors produced by the flow of the hydrocarburet onto the hot-plate forming the bottom of said'box. i

When the present process is employed for working engines driven by explosion the h otplate may be maintained at the required temperature either by means of the heat developed in the cylinder by the explosions or by means ofthe residual gases from the explosions, and in this latter case the degree of this tempera- 5o ture may be regulated by means of a cock placed in a convenient position on the escape or exhaust pipe of the engine, or on the box itself, for the purpose ot' permitting the entry of the whole or a part only of the residual gases from the explosions. In consequence'ot` this new and excellent utilization of the heat in these machines, which is usually lost, gasengines may he worked in the open country as in towns, or in-fact wherever they may be required, by means ot' the small vaporizing apparatus, whereby these engines are enabled to producetheir own gas.

For practically applying the above process all that is required is to cause the residues from the explosions, when they leave the cylinder, to pass under the hot-plate. The temperature of these gases is sufficiently high to easily maintain the temperature ot' the hotplate for the continuous vaporzation of the hydrocarburet.

Supposing it to be required to work a gasengine by means of the present process, and that the cylinderot' this engine sucks or draws in at each stroke of the piston two liters (two thousand cubic centimeters) of explosive mixture, composed,for example, of ninetyseven per cent. of air (nineteen hundred and forty cubic centimeters) and three per cent. (sixty cubic centimeters) of hydrocarburet vapor, all that is required is, tirst, at each stroke of the piston to conduct onto the hot-plate the quantity ot' hydrocarburetliquid necessary to produce sixty cubic centimeters of vapor; and, second, to allow the entry during this time into the flat box or chamber ot' which the hot-plate forms the bottom of nineteen hundred and forty cubic centimeters of air,which, on mixing with the nascent vapors on the hot-plate, forms the required explosive compound, and which, drawn in by the piston, as required, will till the empty space in the cylinder, there to be ignited and cause explosion.

Pure atmospheric air may be introduced p either into the cylinder or into the tubes leading to it when the air that has passed over the hot-plate is carbureted to toohigh a degree. As soon as the cylinder. of the motor thus charged is closed the flow of carbureted air ceases naturally, to commence again at the required moment, and the action of the motor or engine goes on regularly and indefinitely.

For insuring the thorough mixture of the air with the vapors, and to prevent all possibility of a communication of flame to the mixture from the interior of the motor-engine tothe exterior, it is advisable to provide the tubes through which the carbureted air flows from the hot-plate to the cylinder with checks or wire-gauze. lt is also desirable to regulate theemission ol' the hydrocarburet onto the hotplate in such manner thatits vaporization takes place regularly and continuously, so that the various parts of the air passing over tbe hotplate are carbureted.

It is oi' course necessary for the starting of the apparatus to heat the hot-plate to the required temperature,either by means of lamps, blow-pipes, braziers, chemical processes, orin anyother suitable way, until the residual gases from the explosions are sufficiently great to maintain the required temperature.

By this proeessnotonly petroleum and volatile oils may be utilized, but also thick oils, (which are very economic,) by giving a higher or lower temperature to the hot-plate, according to the hydrocarburet to be vaporized.

Meters, cocks, pistons,bellows,or any other appliances or means may be employed for conducting tbe hydrocarburet onto the hot-plate through one or more pipes in any desired direction. It may also be allowed to iow with more or less force, and, if necessary, may be projected against a check or obstacle for dividing it and rendering it easy to vaporize. The appliances are regulated in such manner as to conduct the hydrocarburet gradually onto the hotplate, so that the necessary quantity will be vaporized in tbe required time, so that the different parts ot the air flowing onto the hot-plate during this time will be carbureted to the required degree. The quantity of airis easily regulated in proportion to that of the hydrocarburet by increasing or diminishing the size of the openings through which it is admitted to the hot-plate.

In using the present process i'or the manufacture ot' gas for illuminating purposes the proportion of mixture of the air and hydrocarburet vapor is regulated accordingly.

The carbureted air may be drawn oit' by the combustion at the burnels, or may be forced onward by a fanblower, if necessary. A blower may be employed to thro7 the air onto the hot-plate, even when it is required to work an explosive-engine. The tubes also, which arey provided with checks and wire gauze, through which the carbureted air passes in its passage from the hot-plate to the cylinder, may likewise be heated, if found desirable.

The air, previous to its mixture with the hydrocarburet vapors, may be heated by the residues from the explosions by causing it to circulate in tubes made to Wind around or encircle the cylinder or its casing, or in any other manner.

It is preferred to rou ghenor corrugate the Surface of the hot-plate by groovin g, filing,

covering with wire, or in any other suitable manner, so as to render the vaporization of the hydrocarburet more rapid by increasing the heated area, and also to prevent the hydrocarburet from assuming the spheroidal state. This may also be prevented by regulating the temperature ot' the hot-plate so that it will be below that point at which the spheroidal state is produced in the hydrozarburet employed, or by placing above and at a short distance from the hot-plate another plate,which is intended to Hatten or crush the drops of hydrocarburet, which cause thc spheroidal state. Thisupper plate may be perforated,sothatthevapors which form under it may rise freely and mix with the air, and it may, it' required, have a circular or other motion, and may also be heated. Finally, it will be understood that several hot-plates, pumps, pistons, bellows, meters, or other appliances may be employed in connection with the apparatus, it desired.

The accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, represent an apparatus constructed in accordance with thein vention.

Figure l is a vertical section ofthe apparatus for carbureting air on line x y of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe same with the top plate removed for the better exhibition of parts, and Fig. 3 is an en'd elevation.

The air to be carbureted enters the orifices A and passes through the small openings a in plate B. This plate is movable laterally in ways in the frame D, and its movement is effected by means ot' a screw, c, supported in a stud, C, or frame D, and turned by means ofa knob, d. The object of the perforated plate B is to regulate the supply ot' air by increasing or diminishing the size of openings a. By turning knob d moreor less of each ot'said openings is presented to orifices A, and the supply of air is thus increased or diminished.

The hydrocarburet is introduced through a tube,E/,connected with an opening, F,in plate G, and provided with a cock, e, for regulating the supply of the liquid. Said tube terminates in a number of smaller tubes, f, by which it is brought in contact with the hot-plate or vaporizing-surface E. As the result ofemploying a number of small tubes the liquid is vaporized as soon as it comes in contact with the plate E. The vapor thus produced is mixed witlrthe air entering through orifices A to the vaporizingchamber, of which hot-plate E forms the bottom', and the mixture is conducted thence to the apparatus where itis to be utilized. Cheeks g g', secured to plate G, assist in effecting the admixture ofthe air and vapor in its passage to cylinder H. This cylinder is provided with a number of small plates,h, supported by rings h and pierced with holes hf', the plates being so arranged that the holes h in one are opposite the solid portion ofthe next. The air and Vapor, in circulating through and between these plates, are more thoroughly. mixed together.

Above the plates h are several thicknesses of IOO wire-gauze, k, which both aid in effecting a thorough mixture ofthe air and vapor and also prevent the communication of iiame to the carbureted air in cylinder H. The carbureted air is conducted to the motor by pipe K.

The temperature ofthe plate E is maintained during the process of carbureting air by the` residual gases from the explosions in the cylinder of the gas engine. To eect this the residual gases or products of combustion are conducted through a pipe, M, connected with the exhaust or waste pipe ot' the motor-cylinder, to an S-shaped ilue or passage, S, through which it is caused to circulate under the hotplate E. This particular shape of the flue or passage S keeps the residual gases for a longer time in contact with hot-plate E, more perfectly heating the latter. The gases escape from passage S through pipe L, which passes through cylinder H, the heat ot' said gases thus serving to maintain the temperature of earbureted air in said cylinder. The pipe L, which may be of any desired length, communicates with the atmosphere, and through it the gases freely escape.

For heating plate E at the commencement of the operation the bottom plate, o, which slides in grooves in the frame, is removed and the heat applied directly to plate E by any desired means. When the proper temperature is attained cock e may be turned, the carbureting operation immediately begins,and the temperature of plate E is maintained by the gases ot' combustion circulating through passage S, as explained. A cock may be conveniently placed in pipe M to regulate the supply of the gases of combustion admitted to the apparatus. For ascertaining the temperature ofthe gas, so as to regulateits supply accordingly, a thermome` ter may be placed in tube T.

The drawings represent a halt-size apparatus for carbureting air with which satisfactory results have been obtained in connection with a gas-engine, the gas in tubeL bavingatemperature of 1180 to 120O centigrade.

Various modifications may be made in the the apparatus without departing from the spirit of the invention, and parts of the invention may be used without the others.

The hot-plate or vaporizing-surfaee may be made of a cylindrical, spheroidal, or other shape as well as a plate properly called, and of any material, metal being preferred. It may be regular or irregular, of a greater or less thickness, and may be placed vertically, horizontally, or inclined. The height of the box or chamber of which the hot-plate forms the bottom may be made greater or less, it' deemed expedient.

Having now described my said invention and the mannerofcarryingthe same into effect, what I claim is 1. The method of carbureting air for gasengines and utilizing the waste gases from said engines by vaporizing the hydrocarburet, mixin g the vapor with air, conducting the mixture to the cylinder of the gas engine, where it is exploded, and conducting the hot products of explosion into the earbureting apparatus to heat the same, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the carbureting-chamber provided with a vaporizing-plate and air inlets or passages with a pipe for delivering the hydrocarbon terminating in a series of small tubes above said plate and extending to different portions thereot, substantially as described.

3. Thecombination,withacarbureting-chamber provided with avaporizing-plate and a pipe fordeliverin g the hydrocarbon, of a series of airiuletopenings extending the width ofsaid plate and a common valve for regulating the low of air through said openings, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a delivery-pipe for the hydrocarbon and the carbureting chamber provided with a vaporizing-plate adapted t0 be heated, and also with inlet and outlet openings just above the level of said vaporizing-plate, ou

opposite sides of the same, so that the air' sweeps in a broad belt over the surface of said plate and carries off thehydrocarbon as it volatilizes, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the volatilizingeh amber provided with air-inlets and a Vaporizing plate or body, of a mixing-chamber having a series of perforated diaphragms for securing the thorough mixture of the air with the bydrocarbon vapors as they pass through said chamber, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the corrugated or roughened plate, passages for admitting air in contacttherewith,andapipeterminatingabove said plate for dropping hydrocarbon thereon, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the pipe for delivering hydrocarbon and the volatilizing-ehamber having inlet for air and outlet for the mixture of air andhydrocarbon vapor, of an S- shaped due beneath said chamber, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the vaporizingchamber, of a mixing-chamber connected with the vaporizing-chamber and a lue communieating with the space under the latter, and passing through the mixing-chamber for maintaining the temperature thereof, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the vaporizingchamber provided with inlets for the air and outlets for the mixture of air and vapor, of the mixing-chamber communicating with thelatter and having a check, perforated plates, and wire-gauze therein, substantially as described.

10. In an apparatus for carbureting air, a vaporizing-chamber, the bottom of which is formed by the plate by which the vaporization of the hydrocarbon is effected, and two opposite sides of which contain the one air-inlets and the other outlets for the air and vapor, the

air in passing through said chamber sweeping over the top of said plate, substantially as described.

ll. In an apparatus for carbureting air, a

IOC

IIO

VolatilizingLehamber provided with a plate adapted to be heated for effecting the volatilization of the hydrocarburet liquid, means for admitting the latter into Contact with said plate in regulated quantities, inlets or passages for admitting external air into said chamber,

- a tlue or passage beneath said plate adapted to convey heat thereto7 and devices for effecting the thorough admixtnre ofthe air and hydrocarbon vapor, substantially as described.

In testimony Whereotl have signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

E. L. o. GTE. DIVERNoIs.

Witnesses:

EMILE BARRAULT,

AUG. VINGK. 

